Hello. I am looking for an Online Train Store that sale everything from Locos to weathering powders. Also can you tell me if you have shopped there and how they did. I am looking for a supplement to my local hobby store.
Thanks
Darick
In the ways of online shopping, I have only used dto, www.discounttrainsonline.com.
Good products, good pricing, but slow shipping.
Walthers at http://www.walthers.com is the complete on-line store, but prices are usually full list price, with occasional sales. Discount Trains Online is also very complete, and they have good prices. Trainworld at http://www.trainworld.com has great prices, but they focus on locomotives. M.B. Klein at http://www.modeltrainstuff.com is a bit broader based, and they have great prices, too.
I’ve never ordered from Walthers, but all the others have made me happy. Remember, though, that you will pay shipping for everything, so it generally pays to put together a big order and get it all at once from a single supplier if you can.
Most of them are good. My personal favorite is First Place Hobbies at
http://www.1stplacehobbies.com/default.asp
Prices seem as good as anywhere, they carry very wide variety and ship fairly quickly (UPS, mostly), site tells you if product is in stock (with option to have them e-mail you when it arrives).
Tony’s Train Exchange deals in Locos and DCC supplies. I had no problems ordering from them, and their customer service is good too.
Ian
www.internettrains.com is another good resource…you may not find everything you want from one place but if you keep a list of many of them, you’ll know where to go to find that specialty item…chuck
I have used a number of ones. This is how I would compare/contrast them:
trainworld.com—Best prices around for expensive locomotives. However, until their new online ordering system is complete you will have to deal with the hassle of emailing to ask whether a roadname is in stock, wait for a reply and then place the order.
standardhobby.com—Best place to purchase plastic kits. Prices are comparable to trainworld on kits and you can order over the Internet and they have a live inventory system so that you know when you order whether something is in stock. This is rare among sites and a big plus. When choosing between standardhobby and trainworld, take location into account since if you live in NY and order from trainworld you will pay sales tax while you won’t at standardhobby and vice versa if you live in NJ.
internethobbies.com—Good selection with decent prices (not as good as trainworld or standardhobby). This is a good site to browse because they have more pictures and descriptions of products than other sites. Very opaque inventory system. I have reduced my ordering from this site because too many items I tried to purchase ended up on backorder.
internettrains.com—The most comprehensive selection with decent though not great prices. Fulfillment tends to be slow though they will at least email you to tell you if an item is out of stock. This site is a good alternative to Walthers for hard to find items since it has comparable selection with lower prices.
litchfieldstation.com—Best prices on DCC systems with free shipping. Doesn’t sell anything else.
walthers.com—Very comprehensive site with relatively high prices. Good place to research availability of items since you can search all the listings. If you are ordering a lot of unusual items, a viable alternative to save on shipping costs.
modeltrainstuff.com—Somewhat similar to trainworld with an equally cumbersome online ordering system. Has great prices
In addition to some others mentioned above, I’ve also bought from:
Both have pretty good service. Toy Train Heaven has a better selection and very competitive prices, but is a little higher on shipping (but they do charge a single flat rate, which is good if you’re ordering a lot). Cherry Creek Hobbies has less of a selection, but you pay actual shipping costs (which is good if you only order a few items).
www.Firsthobby.com is great hobby shop I have dealt with several times. They a great selection and good prices.
IMHO there’s simply no reason to pay anything near MSRP ever - certainly not ordering online. I typically look for at least 50% off MSRP before my ears even *** up…
Having said that, there are lots of good suggestions here. I would boil it down even further:
Best Prices (tie): trainworld.com (locos & rolling stock), standardhobby.com (everything else). If you check both, you’re pretty much guaranteed the lowest price you’ll find anywhere.
Best Service: tonystrains.com (also best DCC site)
Best Selection: walthers.com (prices high)
Runner Up: firsthobby.com. Not the best at selection or price or service - but very good on all three.
I get 90% of what I need from these 5 sites. All others are only used on a “can’t find it, want it now, who’s got it, don’t care about price” basis.
The only suggestion here I feel compelled to DISagree with is internettrains.com. Their prices are not very good at all… Quite often they’re MORE THAN DOUBLE the price you can find elsewhere, and usually more even than your LHS… if I’m paying anything close to retail (i.e. less than 30% off retail), I’ll go to my LHS, get 20% off retail every time, and get someone to ask questions, get good service and a place to return it, and get to take it home right now, today with no wait, etc. etc.
E.G. internettrains.com currently sells a Bachmann Spectrum 3-truck Shay for $206… Trainworld’s ad in the latest MRR offers the same loco for $99… That’s less than half internetrains.com price, and over 65% off MSRP… When I could buy it retail, pay tax, pay shipping and STILL resell it to you profitably for $150 (30% less than Internettrains.com), something just ain’t right.
And no, I don’t work for any of 'em or anyone in the industry… I just think it’s criminal to charge $206 for something that can be bought for $99…